Wear-resistant jewelry with a polycrystalline diamond compact inlay

Abstract

The present invention comprises a series of steps wherein a powdered material such as powdered diamond is used to form durable and attractive wear-resistant jewelry. A wear-resistant metal jewelry blank is scored or otherwise processed to create one or more grooves, voids, or openings. The voids in the jewelry blank are subsequently filled with a powdered substance. Then, the jewelry blank is heated under pressure at a temperature above the melting point of the powdered substance, but below the melting point of the metal jewelry blank, thereby forming a series of interstitial matrices. The resulting jewelry blank, with the embedded compact material, is then shaped through processes such as cutting, grinding, or the like, to the desired dimensions and polished to create one or more pieces of wear-resistant jewelry.

1 . A method comprising the steps of: 
 creating at least one opening in a jewelry blank;    inserting a powdered material into said at least one opening;    sintering said powdered material to form a compact; and    processing said jewelry blank to form at least one piece of jewelry.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of creating a least one opening in a jewelry blank comprises the step of using an EDM process to create a plurality of apertures in said jewelry blank.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of creating a least one opening in a jewelry blank comprises the step of using a diamond-grinding wheel to create a plurality of grooves in said jewelry blank.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of creating a least one opening in a jewelry blank comprises the step of using an EDM process to create a plurality of concordant slits in said jewelry blank.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of inserting a powdered material into said at least one opening comprises the step of placing a plurality of synthetic diamond particles into said at least one opening in said jewelry blank.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of inserting a powdered material into said at least one opening comprises the step of placing powdered cubic boron nitride into said at least one opening in said jewelry blank.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of sintering said powdered material to form a compact comprises the steps of: 
 placing said jewelry blank into a press;    inducing a current in said jewelry blank; and    subjecting said jewelry blank to high pressure and high temperature.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of processing said jewelry blank to form at least one piece of jewelry comprises the steps of: 
 drilling out the center of said jewelry blank;    creating a plurality of individual jewelry pieces from said jewelry blank; and    polishing each of said plurality of individual jewelry pieces.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of synthetic diamond particles comprise a plurality of synthetic diamond particles, each of said plurality of synthetic diamond particles having an associated diameter, each of said diameters ranging from 1 micron to 1,000 microns.  
   
   
       10 . A method of manufacturing rings comprising the steps of: 
 using a lathe to create a series of grooves in a jewelry blank;    placing a plurality of synthetic diamond particles into said series of grooves in said jewelry blank, each of said plurality of synthetic diamond particles having an associated diameter, each of said diameters ranging from 1 micron to 1,000 microns;    placing said jewelry blank into a press;    inducing a current in said jewelry blank;    subjecting said jewelry blank to high pressure and high temperature;    processing said jewelry blank to form at least one piece of jewelry;    drilling out the center of said jewelry blank;    creating a plurality of individual jewelry pieces from said jewelry blank; and    polishing each of said plurality of individual jewelry pieces.    
   
   
       11 . A piece of jewelry comprising: 
 a wear-resistant metal, said wear-resistant metal comprising at least one opening;    a compact formed in said at least one opening and bonded to said wear-resistant metal.    
   
   
       12 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11  wherein said wear-resistant metal comprises a tungsten carbide metal.  
   
   
       13 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11  wherein said compact formed in said at least one opening and bonded to said wear-resistant metal comprises a polycrystalline diamond compact material formed by a sintering process.  
   
   
       14 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11  wherein said wear-resistant metal comprises a tungsten carbide metal and wherein said diamond compact formed in said at least one opening and bonded to said wear-resistant metal comprises a synthetic diamond material formed by a sintering process.  
   
   
       15 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11 , wherein said piece of jewelry is formed in the shape of a ring.  
   
   
       16 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11 , wherein said piece of jewelry is formed in the shape of a pendant.  
   
   
       17 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11 , wherein said piece of jewelry is formed in the shape of an earring.  
   
   
       18 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11  wherein said at least one opening comprises at least one groove.  
   
   
       19 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11  wherein said at least one opening comprises at least one concordant slit.  
   
   
       20 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11  wherein said at least one opening comprises at least one aperture.  
   
   
       21 . A piece of jewelry as in  claim 11  wherein said compact formed in said at least one opening and bonded to said wear-resistant metal comprises a cubic boron nitride compact material formed by a sintering process.